Unqiue data of patients in Normandy/Hauts-de-France under threat as cyberattacks hit regional health agencies, officials warn

In a recent development, a cyberattack has been reported to have targeted servers hosting patient identity data in the regions of Hauts-de-France and Normandy. The attack, believed to have been spread out over time with multiple attempts, affected public hospitals in the Hauts-de-France region.

The ARS (Agence Régionale de Santé) of Hauts-de-France and Normandy were alerted about the cyberattack on Monday, September 8. The intrusion is limited to identity data, including names, first names, ages, and possibly phone numbers and email addresses. No medical record data is believed to be affected by the cyberattack, according to the ARS of Hauts-de-France.

The exact nature of the data stolen in the cyberattack is not specified in the article. However, the study of the servers affected by the cyberattack is ongoing to identify the data consulted or stolen. The compromised accounts have been neutralized, and their owners have been notified.

Following the cyberattack, an alert has been issued to healthcare professionals to be vigilant about the impersonation of their identity and to be cautious of suspicious emails or phone calls that may be part of a phishing attempt. The risk for patients is to be targeted by "phishing", an attempt at internet fraud, where the fraudster poses as a professional or healthcare institution.

The ARSs of Hauts-de-France and Normandy continue to work with regional health teams and partners to investigate the cyberattack and secure their systems. Hospital operations and digital health services are not affected by the cyberattack.

No name of the hacker or hacker group responsible for the cyberattack on patient data in Normandy and Hauts-de-France has been disclosed in the available information. The cyberattack was carried out using the identity of a healthcare professional.

The cyberattack had varying degrees of impact on several regions in France. No additional information about the nature of the data stolen in the cyberattack is provided in the article. The authorities advise everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.